Youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai expressed that she is "deeply worried" for women and minorities in Afghanistan after Taliban takeover. She further urged global and regional powers to call for an immediate ceasefire and provide help to the civilians.
Back in 2012, the Pakistani activist was shot in the head by Taliban militants in the Swat region for her campaign for women education. Severely wounded, she was airlifted from one military hospital in Pakistan to another and later flown to the UK for treatment. Later, the Taliban released a statement saying they would target Malala again if she survived.
At age 17, she received the Nobel Peace Prize for her education advocacy in 2014. She shared the honour with India's social activist Kailash Satyarthi.
On Sunday, the 24-yr-old activist said, "We watch in complete shock as Taliban takes control of Afghanistan. I am deeply worried about women, minorities and human rights advocates."
"Global, regional and local powers must call for an immediate ceasefire, provide urgent humanitarian aid and protect refugees and civilians," wrote Malala, who now lives in the UK.
Malala started campaigning for women education at a vey young age. She started writing blogs for the BBC's Urdu service in 2009 about life under the Taliban back in 2009. She was only 11 years old then.
Taliban had taken over Pakistan's Swat region in 2007. Opponents were murdered, people were publicly flogged for supposed breaches of the sharia law, women were banned from going to market, taking formal education.
Malala completed her degree in philosophy, politics and economics from the prstigious Oxford University in June last year.
In Afghanistan, the Islamic party ruled from 1996 to 2001, but following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, their regime came to an end as they were removed from power by US-led forces in 2001.
The group, however, has been on the offensive in recent months and has now seized power again.
(With inputs from agencies)
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